10 World Barbecue Techniques to Make Your Barbecue Out of This World

All over the world barbecue is big, and goes by many names - asado, braai, char sui - every region or country has at least one style.

Introducing: The 10 Part World Barbecue Techniques Article Series

Everything here can be done easily, most likely with equipment you already have.

Some styles are similar, defined really by the ingredients used. Some are radically different to the way things are done in the US or Europe.

Interesting? Let's get going:

1. In the USA , what Brits refer to as barbecue is more correctly referred to as grilling.

   True barbecuing is a slow indirect cooking process, involving large cuts of meat, or a whole animal, often a pig.

   There are several distinct, roughly regional, styles in the USA with their own traditions of equipment (the grill, the smoker, the BBQ pit) cooking fuel, flavouring, or cut of meat. All styles of barbecue seem to converge on the US; even if they weren't all first done here. It's a sort of spiritual home for barbeque fans.

   BBQ smokers, pit barbeques, and grills are all favoured somewhere. But regional flavours become obvious with distinct styles from Memphis, Texas, North Carolina, Kansas, The Carolinas have several, California, and elsewhere.

2. In Latin America meat is roasted at a distance from the coals, similar to pit barbecuing in the US. But with ingredients and customs more in common with Portuguese and Spanish cuisine.

   In Argentina, traditionally various meats are served in a specific order of courses.
   
   

3. The Caribbean has two main traditions roughly divided by language.

   The Spanish speaking islands often cook suckling pig in a manner called Taino similar to other Latin American styles.

   The English speaking Bahamas and Jamaica have more in common with the US style, with Jamaica using a BBQ dry rub called Jerk to flavour grilled meat or seafood.
   
   

4. Scandinavian countries have a unique flavour where existing national cuisines that favour venison and other game are served with Juniper flavoured sauces.

5. In the Mediterranean region the main influence is also their existing cuisines, with meat often marinated with olive oil, citrus or with a herb sauce like the persillade sauce.
   
   
6. Pacific Islands frequently use something similar to a BBQ pit for cooking - although the exact tradition sometimes involves placing hot volcanic rocks in a pit lined with banana leaves. In Hawaii this method, called Kalua, likely involves a whole pig being glazed and slow smoked, then decorated with fruit.

7. The tandoor oven is used in India and Central Asia to bake highly flavoured and brightly coloured, marinated kebabs served with bread.

8. In Southeast Asia there are various traditions mostly based on grilling e.g. satay in Indonesia and Singapore.
   
   The Japanese are generally big on seafood and vegetables, but yakitori made with chicken or pork is their most famous BBQ recipe.

   While Chinese char siu involves meat marinated with honey being cooked on a long hand held fork over a fire.

9. In South Africa braai has become a major, almost daily, tradition that has spread outwards to various African countries. They take grilling quite seriously here too.

All over the world barbecue is a social occasion - the flavours change, the methods vary slightly - it’s a global phenomenon because people love cooking, eating and socialising together.

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